Acetylene-generator.



, PATENTBD'JAN. 21, 1908. s. W. RUSHMORE. AOBTYLENE GENERATOR. APPLIOATIONIILED MAY 27, 1905.

IIIIIIL 'PATENTED JAN. 21, 1908.

S. W. RUSHMORE. AGETYLENE GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, I905.

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WITNESSES.-

-UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL W. BUSHMORE, F PLAINFIELD, NEW'JERSEY.

solarium-eminence.

Specification ofllettars Patent. Application and Ma 27.1905. Serial nit-262.583.

.Patented Jan. 21, 1908.

.To' all whom it may cohcem:

'Be' it known that I, SAMUEL W. RUSH- p thereof. MORE, acitizen of the United States, residing l shell and basket separated from the upper tor on line I of Fig. II. Fi II is a-top lan Fig. IIl'is a top pan of the has et at Plainfield, in the county of Union and or tank-shell. Fig. IV is a section taken on State of New Jersey, have invented certain l line IV of Fig. II, with a'secon'd spring holdnew anduseful Improvements in Acetylene- Gas Generators and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appers tains to make and .use the same.

My invention relates to acetylene gas generators suitable for use in vehicles or boats,.

and has for its object to produce a generator that shall generate gas at a uniform pressure and as required only, so that there shall be no waste of carbid when the demand for gas has ceased.

An important feature of my invention consists 1n means for causing a secondary movement in the basket containing the calcium carbid, so that all the slaked lime shall immediately be shaken down, leaving the calcium carbid exposed to the water in.

clean lumps. It has been found by experience, that in slmilar generators 111 ordinary .use, there-is not sufficient movement positively and certainly to shake down the dust, whereby it occurs, that, as the lime is slaked more or less of the dust remains in the basket, and,becoming mixed with the surplus water, causes waste and irregularity in the generation of gas, or, from the surplus supply of water, becomes mixed into mud and eaked, after it is shaken down into the lower or basket shell.

I have conceived the. possibility of overcoming these disadvantages and have devised means for that purpose, consisting in any suitable means operated by the movement of the vehicle or vessel, for constantly, or frequently, moving or jarring the basket, so that the slaked lime is immediately shaken down into the lower or basket shell struction of my generator and in other fea-,

tures and details thereof. v i Y I have shown desirable forms of generators embodying my invention in the drawings herewith, in which the reference numerals of the specification ihdicate the correspond ingFparts in all the fi ures.

lgure I is a vertical section of my generavenience in replacing the su' ply of calcium carbid and removing the s aked lime and ,dust, of which 1- indicates the upper or tankshell, divided by partition 2 into the water tank or reservoir 3 and the smaller regulating chamber 4.

6 is a valve tube 'for the water supply, connecting the lower portion of the tank with the lower portion ofthe regulating chamber. This may be closed by" the ball-end-valve ,7, fitted to threaded bearing 8, in the top Wall 9 ol the tank shell, and having the external thumb-piece 10.

12. is a removable overflow tube fitted to a threaded bearing in the lower wall 13 of the tank-shell, through which the water drips onto the calcium carbid in receptacle or basket v17, supported as hereinafter described in the generating chamber in the lower or tank-shell 18. This overflow tube is provided with the small drip hole .15 through the nose at its lower end, and is preferably provided with a piece of felt, or similar stuffing, to prevent the water from passing too rapidly.

20 is the gas 'tube, from the generating suitable fibrous material, for cleansing the "as. h 23 is the 'curved or U-shaped-tube conne'cting the topof the enerating' chamber with the top of the 'regu atin chamber and extending up into the tank above the water line.

25 is asaletyressure tube extending from the bottom of t e regulating chamber to the top of the tank.

26 is a screw stoppefi fol-the water supply opening inthe top wall, provided with vent "hole 27, and 28 is a tube also supplied with a vent hole 29, and arranged around the water supply hole, to prevent the danger of the water splashing out.

The eration of my device is as follows the basl et being sufi'ici'ently su plied with calcium carbid and the tank bein filled with'water, the valve 7 is raised, so t at the water will flow down through tube -6, sufficiently fillin regulating chamber 4, so that the water wi l overflow through tube 12 and drip onto the carbid. The gas, instantly generated, passes through the gas tube 2.0 to the burners, and at the same time a portion of the gas passes throu h the U-shaped tube 23 into'the regulating c, amber 4, and, by its pressure, forces .some of the water back through valve tube 6 into. the tank, thus preventing its overflow through overflow tube 12 and immediately checking the generation of gas." As, the gas is gradually drawn off to the lights, the pressure, thus exerted in the re ulating chamber 4, will fall, the Water wiIlflowback from the tank into the regulating chamber until "it rises sufficiently high 'therein,again to overflow through the over flow tube, when the action is repeated.

It has been'found in practice, that, if the valve 21 is'suddenly closed when the generator is in action, there will be a small aftergeneration of gas; this will pass through the 1 tube 23, force all the water back from the regulating chamber into the tank and then escape thrpugh valvetube 6 and the water,

'.to vent hoes 27 and 29, avoiding the danger r of excessive as pressure. Ifboth of t e valves 21 and 7 are suddenly closed and an excessive pressure is generated,

thewater will 'be forced through tube 25 back into the tank and the gas will then escape through said tube and the vent holes as before. It will be understood that as the upper end of said tube 25 extends above the water line in the tank no water can return through it to regulating chamber 4, nor will any water flew up through it unless valve 7 is closed.

The basket or carbid carrier is provided with anFopenwork bottom, preferably lower at its center than at the sides, so as to tend tobring the calcium, carbid immediately under the overflow tube, preferably centrally ar- 1 v 'ranged, and, I support the basket, not solidly in the shell, but movably or unstably, so that it is frequently or constantly subjected to movement, shock or vibration, independent of the movement of the shell, constantly to shake downthe dust, from the basket, maintainlng the carbid, clean, and leaving only dry dust in the bottom of the shell.

It will be understood that to shake down;

the dust, the best movement of thebasket is a ar orshock, and for that pur ose, the

.mechanism shown in'Figs, I an III has proved successful and satisfactory in prac= tice.

Immediately above the basket and arranged so that it will strike the edge of the 7 basket or some other ortion-, is arranged a vibrating weight 31. Y his may be arranged, hung in a tube 32 on an elastic spring 34, as shown in Fig. I, and with an adjustable tapper 33, downwardly extendin through the lower wall 13 of the upper shel adjacent to a lip 35 on the basket. It will be understood that the ta per may be adjusted, so

that as the vehice moves, the weightvibrates on its spring and strikes the lip or edge of the shell, the basket on the side'adj acent to the lip being unsupported, so that it is tilted down on that side by the blow of the weight.

The foregoing is the preferred practical form of my invention, but many other forms may be adopted without de arting from the spirit of my invention. or instance, as s 1 own in Fig. IV, with eyes 41 on the u per edge of the basket, engage the hooks 42', aving threaded shanks 43, to which are fitted the lower nuts 44 and the upper nuts 45. These shanks extend through 0 enings in the lower wall of the tank shell, an are suspended on springs 47 or equivalent resilient supports, which may be arranged in any conven- 1e'nt way and desirably in sealed tubes 48 extending u wardly through the regulating chamber an the tank, said spring su ports having their upper ends secured in t e top wall. These springs are so adjusted, 'or provided of such a strength, as to sustain thebasket substantially in the position shown when containing half thenormal charge of calcium carbid. When the basket is fully loaded, the extra weight will stretch the springs so that the weight will come on the upper nuts 45; when nearly empty, the springs will draw the basket 11 lower nuts 44 will engage m'th the lower wall. Thus the ordinary movement of the vehicle or boat, carrying the generator, will cause the basket to vibrate up and down on its springs, and receive a constantshock or percussion from the engagement of the nuts with the lower wall of the shell, thus constantly to shake down the waste lime.

Another modification is shown. in Figs. V and VI. ket 60, carried on a horizontal shaft 61 fitted to suitable bearings 62 in opposite, sides of the lower shell, is provided at one end with a ratchet 64, with which engages. dog 65 to so that the prevent backward rotation, and'with a flexible, or springlike, pawl66,'maintainedadjacent to the ratchet teeth and out of contact therewith by means of its tail 67 engaging with the rim t the generator shell, In con- 1 20 5 Here a cylindrical openwork-bas:

nection with this, is arranged a spring su ported weight and tap er, substantially t e same as that of Fig. which is moved to vibrate by the motion of the vehicle and to with thumb screws 52, and adapted to engage with the hasps or cars 53 on the upper shell, to secure the upper shell on the lower. 54 are side flanges provided with screw I eyelets for securing the complete generator in position.

55 is a desirable reinforcing band for the upper edge of lower shell. The upper shell may desirably be provided with a grooved lower margin 56 for receiving a gasket 57 to engage'with the reinforcing band.

The basket sup orted on the Ipartial shouls der, as shown in igs. I and II will tend to rock with the movement of the vehicle and to some extent accomplish the desired result, without the intervention of the weight, but I consider, as desirable, the weight with the tapper, r other form of lower end, extendin ad'ar-ent to the casket.

'e I have stated that the basket is movedor jarred by means operated by the movement of the vehicle, yet it is evident that such means may be operated by other power, such as clock work, without departmg'from my invention.

will be understood that I do not desire to limit'myself to the form of devices here shown, but to claim broadly the means for suitably su porting the basket and imparting thereto a s ock or movement, independent of the'ordinary shocks or movement of the generator as a whole on the vehicle.

It will be understood that the curved tube 23 may extend up in the tank to any desired height. As shown in Fig. IV it is preferably carried above the water line to, prevent its acting as aLwater-feed to the carbid, in'case.

the overflow tube 12 is choked and the regulating chamber 4 is flooded, and for no other reason.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. "In an acetylene gas generator, the combination with a. main inclosingcase, of a calcium carbid basketunstably supported therein, and means arranged in the case to impart a sudden shock to the basket, said means being 0 erated by the shocks or jars sustained by t e generator.

'2. In an acetylene gas generator, the combination with the main case, of a basket hav- '65 an-openwork bottom for the calcium carbid, means to deliver water onto the carbid, and an oscillating weight arranged to strike .the basket;

3. In an acetylene gas generator, the com bination with the main case, of a carbid basket having an openwork bottom unstably supported in the lower (portion of the case, a

water reservoir arrange in the upper portion of the .case todrip water onto the carbid,

and a Weight secured to an elastic carrier and arranged to strike the basket.

cles, the combination with a main case com-- posed of upper and lower shells, of a shoulder near the top of the lower shell extending art "And a portion only of the shell, a carbid basket supported on said shoulder by a flange ngaging' with said shoulder, and a Weight arranged on an elastic support in the upper shell and adapted to strike the portion of the basket not sup orted on the shoulder.

6. An acety ene gas generator for a vehicle having in combination a main case composed of upper and lower shells, a water tank inthe upper shell, an inner shoulder on the upper margin of the lower shell, said shoulder extending around a portion only of said margin, a calcium carbid basket having an openwork lower portion lower at its center and an outwardl extending flange at its upper margin, the asket being supported by the engagement of said flange with said artial shoulder, whereby the basketis not directly supported at one side, a. lip on the basket at sa1 unsupported side, a tube vertically arranged in the upper shell, a coil sprin arranged in said tube and having one en secured in the u per end thereof, a Weight secured on the ower end of the spring in said tube, an adjustable tapper attached to the lower end of the weight and extending downwardly through the lower wall of the upper shell adjacent to said li .and adapted to strike the lip and jar the basket, as the vehicle moves and means intermittingly to deliver water from the reservoir onto the carbid in the basket, substantially as described and shown.

7. In an acetylene gas generator, the combination with a main case composed of upper and lower shells, of means to secure the upper shell on the lower, a carbid basket having an openwork bottom supported in the upper upper shell into 'a larger water tank above an a regulatin chamber below, a valve tube connecting the ottom of the tank to the bot- I tom of the regulating chamber, a valve to close said tube, 'an'overflow tube centrally arranged in the regulating chamber, extending u wardlyadjacent to the .top of said cham er and provided with a small drip hole for the flow of water onto the carbid, a gas tube from the generating chamber in the lower shell extending upwardly through the re ulating chamber and tank, an external va ve provided with a nozzle on the upper end of said gas tube, acurved tube connectirig the top of the generating chamber with the top of the regulating chamber andextending upwardly above the waterline in the tank, a safety pressure tube connecting the bottom of the regulating chamber with the top of'the tank, the 'top wall of the, upper shll being provided with a-water supply openin a screw stopper fitted to said opening an provided with a vent hole, and an inner tube arranged around said water supply opening and provided with a vent hole near 1138 upper end, substantially as described and shown; I v 8. As a new article of manufacture, an acetylene gas generator having in combina- 9 tion a lower shell with an open top and a re-' info'rced upper mar 'n, forming a carbid chamber, an integral ange on the shell adja-' cent to the upper margin, a carbid basket having an openwork lower portion supported -'a threade on said flange, an upper shell having a lower wall, a grooved lowermargin and a closed upper wall, a gasket in said roove to engage with the top of the lower she I, a partition dividing the upper shell'into an upper water tank and a lower, narrower regulatin chamber, a removable overflow tube fitte threaded central bearingin the lower wall and having at its lower enda nozzle with a small drip hole and a stuffing of porous material, a valve tube fixed in the partition and extending down from the water reservoir into the'lower ortion of the re ulating chamber.

d shank sustained in the top of the upper shell, a valve for said valve tube on the lower end of said shank, an external thumbto the piece, on the shank, a stopper fitted to a water supply inlet in the to of the u per shell, a gas tube secured in t e upper s ell and extending therethrough from 2 the generating chamber, a stuffing of fibrous material in the gas tube a valve in the gas tube, opposite outwardly extending ears on the upper edge of the lower shell, corresponding, 'opposite',

outwardly extending hasps on the top of the upper shell, arms pivotaliy secured to the ears, and thumb-screws fitted to the threaded ends of said arms to enga e with the hasps.

In testimony whereof in presence of two witnesses.

" SAMUEL W. RUSHMORE.

Witnesses:

LOUIS OLSON BARTON. IWARREN H. MARSH affix my signature 1 

